Britain's Prince William
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Prince William
Britain's Prince William, who is in Jamaica for a three-day visit, has expressed sorrow for the horrors of the slave trade and the role that Britain played in it.
Like other statements from previous British officials however, his statement stopped short of an apology.
During an official dinner at King's House on Wednesday night for Prince William and his wife the Duchess of Cambridge, the prince - who is the second in line to the British throne - acknowledged his country's role in the trafficking of people to the Caribbean and the United States:
"I want to express my profound sorrow. Slavery was abhorrent. And it should never have happened. While the pain runs deep, Jamaica continues to forge its future with determination, courage and fortitude... the strength and shared sense of purpose of the Jamaican people, represented in your flag and motto, celebrate an invincible spirit."
Prince William's address followed anti-colonial protests and calls for Jamaica to drop his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, as Jamaica's Head of State.
During a courtesy call by the prince and his wife at Jamaica House earlier in the day, Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared that Jamaica was moving on, in what many view to be a hint that the country will soon shed the monarchy to become a republic.
Last Thursday, Mr. Holness announced he will be naming an advisory committee to examine the issue of Jamaica moving away from the British Monarchy and becoming a republic. He said the question would ultimately be put to Jamaicans in a referendum.
He did not give a timeline for setting up of the committee or the referendum.
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